Favorite Schools

Favorite Teams

Greater New Orleans

Change Region

comments

United States Environmental Services merger could add New Orleans jobs

USES K2 Merger.jpg

United States Environmental Services, an industrial cleaning company with New Orleans roots, and K2 Industrial Industrial Services merged on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. The deal could add New Orleans area jobs as the combined company seeks to expand its services in the region.
(United States Environmental Services)

United States Environmental Services, an environmental services company with New Orleans roots, has merged with a prominent Midwestern service provider. The new company will employ about 100 in the New Orleans area, with the potential for more jobs in coming years.

USES, which specializes in cleaning for refining, maritime and other industrial customers, said on Tuesday (June 3) it had merged with K2 Industrial Services, a Hammond, Ind. firm that provides industrial coatings, insulation and scaffolding services.

The merger comes after The Halifax Group quietly acquired USES in April for an undisclosed amount.

The private equity firm also owns a majority stake in K2 Industrial.

The combined company will keep the United States Environmental Services name and employ 2,000 nationwide generating $500 million in annual revenues.

USES CEO Greg Johnson said in a statement the new company is a one-stop shop for industrial customers.

"The new USES has a larger, national footprint and an impressive range of services that neither company could offer on its own," Johnson said.

USES was founded in New Orleans in 1996 as a small industrial cleaning company, growing to 17 locations in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and North Dakota.

The company's 100 New Orleans area employees includes 50 in its maritime group, which provides cleaning services for offshore oil and gas supply vessels and other vessels.

USES spokeswoman Mary Lauren Boykin said the combined company will maintain, if not grow, its local workforce.

Boykin said the regions the two companies served had very little overlap, which means the new company will be adding services in the Gulf Coast region in coming months.

She said the company will need to add jobs in coming years, though it's too early for specifics.